This page is a summary only. Fishing byelaws in Wales are set by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and are legally enforceable. Always check the official NRW angling byelaws before you fish — the official text is what applies.
Anyone aged 13 or over needs a valid rod fishing licence — the same licence scheme covers England and Wales. See when you need a licence and how to buy one on GOV.UK.
All-Wales byelaws have been in force since 1 January 2020 and run for 10 years. Highlights from the NRW byelaw pages:
Some rivers carry additional byelaws of their own — including the Wye, Usk and Dee (the Dee and Wye are cross-border rivers shared with England). Check the NRW byelaws hub for the river you're fishing.
Byelaws are the legal minimum. The fishery or club that controls a water can set stricter rules of its own — check the rules and permission details on the water's page here, and with the fishery, before fishing.
Fishing elsewhere in Britain? See the bylaws for England and Scotland.